TJC men's soccer cruise into NJCAA final

The Tyler Junior College menâ€™s soccer team advance to the national championship game, while the womenâ€™s squad lost in a controversial ending.

In Albany, Ga., the Apaches avenged a season-opening loss to Darton (Ga.) and defeated the No. 1 Cavaliers, 4-1, on their home field. Darton had won all 19 of its matches this season.

In Melbourne, Fla., the Apache Ladies fell to No. 1 and host Brevard (Fla.), 3-2, on a goal that TJC officials said came after time had expired.

Men

The fourth-seeded Apaches (19-3-1), playing in front of a raucous Darton crowd, took a 2-0 lead into halftime.

Sophomore Nathan Trout, a 6-3, 225-pound defender from Liverpool, England, scored on a header six minutes into the match off a corner kick by Oneil Fisher.

Joseph Pratt added an unassisted goal 20 minutes into the match on a kick that was misplayed by the Darton keeper.

The Apaches made it 3-0 seven minutes into the second half. Alan Rovira scored the goal and Fernando Castellanos had the assist.

With the match all but over, TJC coach Steve Clements said Darton started pressing forward and, in turn, giving the Apaches counter chances of which TJC was unable to capitalize.

Troy Tucker spoiled the shutout, scoring on a set piece right outside the box, to pull Darton within 3-1 with 25 minutes left.

Trout capped the scoring with his second goal off another Fisher corner kick in the final minute.

The Apaches finished with 10 shots on goal to four for the Cavaliers. TJC led 6-3 in corner kicks.

â€śWe couldnâ€™t be prouder of our guys,â€ť Clements said. â€śThat was a well-fought game and we certainly came to play.â€ť

Clements praised the play of TJCâ€™s defense, led by the back line of Casey Osborne, Trout, Wayne Hall and Hector Lasso. The goalkeeper is returning All-American Chris McGaughey.

â€śDefensively, weâ€™ve just played so well in this tournament,â€ť Clements said. â€śWeâ€™re defensively back on track.

â€ś(The Cavaliers) have a very good attacking team with very good forwards. They never got loose to score.â€ť

TJC now faces third-seeded Louisburg College (N.C.) for the national championship at 1 p.m. today. Itâ€™s the Apachesâ€™ third trip to the national final in the past four years.

Louisburg beat Monroe (N.Y.), 5-1, in the other semifinal.

Women

It was a shocking end to a hard-fought battle for the Apache Ladies soccer team who had hoped to repeat as the NJCAA Division I champions.

But it wasnâ€™t meant to be.

With the scored tied 2-2, the countdown to the end of the game was in its final ticks when Katlyn Bales of Brevard kicked an arching shot from 25 yards out.

Tyler Junior College keeper Kat Van Meter couldnâ€™t reach the ball as it sailed high and into the net.

But did the goal come in time?

After a brief huddle, officials said yes â€” giving No. 1 seed Brevard a place in Saturdayâ€™s championship title match.

But, TJC coach Corey Rose, whose team ends its season at 19-3-2, believes the wrong team is going into the final.

â€śMost of the game we were the better team, but being a better team doesnâ€™t mean you win,â€ť he said. â€śThe last kick shouldnâ€™t have been called a score, in my opinion. Iâ€™ve seen the pictures (film) as I believe time had ran out.â€ť

Rose said the team is â€śkind of in shock like everybody else,â€ť but â€śweâ€™ve got to move on.â€ť

Brevard scored near the middle of the first half on a kick by Bales. TJC responded with a score about 15 minutes later by Kaitlin Martindale.

The game went back and forth, but TJC appeared to dominate most of the second half.

Brevard added a goal by Courtney Hueston, but TJC also added to their total with a score by sophomore Stacie Murray.

That set up the dramatic last-minute shot that ended TJCâ€™s trip to Florida.